Page 48 of The Highlander's Virgin Nun
Rosaline nodded. He could see that she had so much to process.
“I dinnae ken if ye heard, but Jayden looked into the Abbey too. They have done this before, which means they will do it again. I am goin’ to make sure they are punished for their crimes. They are evil, and they shall face the consequences of their actions.”
“Thank ye,” Rosaline whispered.
“It is me duty to protect ye, Rosaline. And I will make sure that they will never come after ye again.”
She nodded, took a deep breath, and finally looked him in the eye. Caelan could see a world of thoughts running wild behind her eyes. She was scrambling for the right words before she spoke.
“I see how protective ye are, and I thank ye for lookin’ into it and wantin’ to do somethin’ about it.” She paused, but Caelan could tell that she was not done speaking. “I only hope that ye are as protective of our bairn as ye are of me.”
Caelan’s eyes widened in disbelief. “What did ye say?”
He was sure he had misheard her.
“Well, it is obviously very early. I cannae be sure. But I spoke to Michaela this mornin’.”
“Michaela…” Caelan trailed off.
“She saw me and seemed to find somethin’ out from just lookin’ at me. She did say to me a few days ago that I would be at the peak of me cycle in three days. And today…”
“What did she say?”
Rosaline looked confused, shy, and unsure.
“She simply said that she had been correct and that I was with child. It was all she said. I dinnae ken how she could ken. She could be wrong.”
“Nay.” Caelan shook his head, and he saw her start to panic, as if he was denying her. “Michaela hasneverbeen wrong. She had detected every single pregnancy in this clan. Ye are right to believe her.”
He had to take a moment to consider what to say next. He had only just become a husband, taking on the responsibility of protecting his wife, and suddenly, he had to protect his unborn child too. It had all happened so fast. This was the purpose of their marriage—to produce an heir. He was grateful, but the pressure of keeping them both safe suddenly piled on top of him.
“This is what ye wanted,” Rosaline spoke, seeing the distress on his face and mistaking it for regret.
“It is, of course. I needed an heir, and how wonderful that we could get one so quickly. I am grateful and delighted. I just need to keep ye both safe.”
“We will be safe,” Rosaline reassured, holding his hands now as much as he held hers. “We will both protect our child. Nay harm will ever come to it.”
* * *
After Caelan had quelled his wife’s fears, reassuring her that she and their child would be cared for and wanted, he left her with Alexandra, who came to ask for her help with some embroidery. He took himself out to the training grounds behind the castle.
“Good mornin’, Laird Sinclair,” the young men there chorused as he entered the small arena.
“Mornin’, lads. Dinnae let me disturb ye,” he said, directing them back to their sparring.
It was customary to drop one’s sword when nobility was near, but it was a practice he had been trying to get rid of for a while. He wanted his presence to improve his men's fighting skills, not delay their development.
As the boys returned to their practice, Caelan entered the armory and surveyed his clan’s collection. A variety of sharpened, heavy swords hung from the walls. Machetes, javelins, and shields were all stacked in groups around the room, amid various equipment for their upkeep. He noticed that a few looked somewhat worse for wear, with worn-down handles and blunt tips, and decided to ask the swordsmith to get to work on some replacements. He selected a heavier sword than he would usually use and returned to the arena.
He observed the boys for a moment, who were likely trying their best under his watch, and selected the strongest fighter of the three.
“Ye, lad,” he called, walking towards them and pointing his sword at his selected opponent. “Spar with me.”
“Aye, Me Laird.”
The other boys took a step back as Caelan faced the lad, widening his stance in preparation.
The boy made the first move, jabbing his sword forward to throw Caelan off balance and then swinging at his legs. A clever move, but one Caelan knew how to dodge without a thought. He threw his weight-bearing leg further than needed in anticipation, and the sword landed inches in front of it.
